Man Claims He Threw Somebody Off Ferry

Sat., Sept. 9, 2000

From Staff

The Coast Guard launched an air and water search between Seattle and Bremerton late Friday after receiving a vague report that a person might have been thrown off a state ferry.

No evidence was found of anyone overboard.

“We are treating it like a real case,” said Petty Officer Jay Bigelow, a Coast Guard spokesman. “We don’t take chances and we don’t speculate.”

Susan Harris, a state ferries spokeswoman, said no other ferry passengers had reported seeing anyone go over the side.

By early evening, the helicopter was sent home. Bigelow said the Coast Guard utility boat was directed to search until sunset.

Bremerton police said the search began after a man who had been involved in an altercation with another ferry passenger was being treated by medics and told them he’d thrown someone overboard while on the Seattle-Bremerton ferry.

Officer Alan Hornburg said the man was apparently on heroin at the time. He was taken to Harrison Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries suffered in the fight, which involved a dispute with an interracial couple. Hornburg said the man would be arrested for investigation of malicious harassment once he was released from the hospital.

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